Cardboard caskets and cremation boxes are commonly shipped to funeral parlors in flat configurations, to save on transport costs and storage space. These caskets and boxes are assembled and formed by the funeral director's personnel as needed.
A number of methods and packages have been used in the past to ship cardboard caskets and cremation boxes in a configuration which requires minimum space. A common requirement regarding the shipping of caskets and cremation boxes in a flat configuration is that the casket components such as the handles, corpse supporting and positioning accessories and the interior liner cloth should be included within the package, to form a complete kit. Also, the shipping of caskets and cremation boxes in a flat configuration preferably requires that the package be sturdy enough to afford a firm handling without causing the components to becoming loose, separated, deteriorated or damaged.
In regard to prior developments in this field, the following US Patents illustrate and describe various cardboard caskets and cremation boxes that are shippable in a flat or collapsed configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,906 issued to Richard Rittenhouse, on Apr. 13, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,786 issued to Rowland Trevor Walding, on May 1, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,337 issued to Ambrose S. Havey, III, on Dec. 20, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,630 issued to Ambrose S. Havey, on May 1, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,956 issued to Roger J. Partridge et al., on Jun. 5, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,431 issued to Ambrose S. Havey, III, on Dec. 4, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,596 issued to Henry W. Parlour et al., on Aug. 23, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,032 issued to Donald W. Nutting, on Jul. 30, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,545 issued to Dennis J. Stoltz, on May 3, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,484 issued to Stephen D. Woedl et al., on Oct. 11, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,679 issued to Betty M. Thomas, on Dec. 24, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,879 issued to Dean A. Kelly, on Sep. 2, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,061 issued to John R. Enneking et al., on Jul. 7, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,680 issued to Izuru Umemura et al., on Jun. 29, 1999.
Although the shipping methods and packages of the prior art have respective advantages and deserve undeniable merits, these packages and methods are believed to be inadequate with regards to preserving the product quality during transport of the casket or cremation box from the manufacturer's plant to the funeral director's establishment. For example, the prior art packages are believed to be inadequate for preserving the interior liner cloth against shuffling and ruffling during transport and handling thereof, especially when the packages are stacked on their edges.
Also, whether these casket kits are shipped in batches or as a single unit, each batch or unit is generally tied with straps. Edge protectors are normally used with tie straps. However, it is known that these edge protectors often slip off from under the straps during transport and handling. Consequently, it is quite common to observe strap marks and associated quality defects along the edges of cardboard caskets that are shipped by trucks or trains.
As such, it will be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a shipping package for cardboard casket folders and cremation box folders whereby the quality of the casket or cremation box and all of its components are preserved during transport from the manufacturer's facility to the purchaser's funeral parlor.